What's the Best Free Video Editing Software?

You're looking for the latest effects, all the bells and whistles. Fly video, images and text in or out. Try your hand with video composites, polygons, chroma keys and filters. Don't forget about those special transitions and effects. You want software that will do the things you see other video editors do. Oh yeah, and you want this pro-quality software for free. Not too unreasonable to ask. We have the technology, don't we? Well. That may be true, and later on I'll give you a few links where you can find free editing software. But first let me bend your ear a little before you start sampling them. Who knows, you might discover some things to consider while looking for your free editing software.

I purchased my editing software. So my interest in this isn't downloading and testing free editing programs. This just represents personal research and opinion from someone who's edited professionally for over twenty years. Keep in mind that no matter what anybody recommends, in the end you'll eventually have to try the software yourself. That's the only way you'll know if any free program is right for you. There are plenty out there. Remember that free is free, and you get what you paid for. That may sound clich©, but more often times than not you'll get the idea once you start using any free editor you choose.

The problems will occur in a variety of places once you start doing things you want to do. Although most editing programs work very similar, every one of them has its own way of doing things, free or not. They'll each have different procedures, terminology, operating windows, buttons, effects and filters. The list goes on and on. So remember that you'll be spending a certain amount of time just getting used to the one you choose.

Do yourself a favor and research before downloading. Just about all editing software makers have a web site and some kind of forum or message board. Read what the users are saying. Have a look at the program's screenshots and visit their demo pages. See if the software is easy to use and if its features meet your expectations. Otherwise you'll find yourself going through a lot of free software wasting time learning a variety of different programs.

Okay. So you have a buddy that can get you an unlicensed copy of what you want. Everyone does it, right? Of course this is not recommended. There's always the chance of infection. Personal computer systems and components vary so much you may experience severe crashes. You'll get no tech support, and with today's ever-probing technology, do you really think illegal software use goes unnoticed? Besides, stealing is stealing. It's not a good human character trait and disrespects those who spent time creating the software, not to mention those who legally purchased theirs. You really expect to receive any help from them?

Then there are web sites where you can edit videos online for free. You either have to download the user software or become a member. Don't expect much, and learn to live with a pop up for the company at the beginning, end or during of your video. A few online editing web sites have some neat features but that's about it. Most online edit sites are extremely limited, only offering one video and audio track. You might get a few effects.

Good points are that some online editing sites offer free media resources like video and audio clips you can use. In general the only requirement these sites have is that you don't use your videos for commercial use. Another thing that makes these sites attractive for mobile users is they accept just about any video or audio format you can think of, even apps. So if you can't buy software and just need simple edits, free online editing sites may fit the bill.

If you can afford it, my recommendation is to purchase your own editing software. You don't have to spend thousands and can probably find something within your budget. You might even find something to get started with for under a hundred. Because in the end, most affordable retail editing software packages have enough features and effects to fulfill a beginner's expectations. The program may not do everything you want it to do or may be more difficult to operate, but should have enough to keep you busy. You won't need much in the beginning. You'll be spending most of your time learning how to use the darn thing.

As with free software, research a few affordable retail programs for comparison. Learn about their use, their features and don't forget to read user comments. Just always keep in mind that editing is more than special effects and transitions. The creativity of editing is also in the timing, image composition, relevance, writing, audio mix and many other creative elements combined to share a multimedia statement or perspective with others. You can do that with cuts and dissolves.

Searching the web I found the following sites offering free video editing software or services. As was stated before, none of the software was downloaded or tested. I did view or try online demos when available.

ONLINE EDITING
So let's start with web sites where you can edit online. In general don't expect much from these sites, usually one video and audio track with a few effects. To be honest there's not much difference between these online editors in terms of capabilities. You get more with Movie Maker.

YOUTUBE ONLINE VIDEO EDITOR
Free for YouTube members, which you probably already are. Easy software to use but extremely limited. Like most free online editors, good enough if you're only looking to make very simple videos.

VIDEO TOOL BOX
You must register to use the software. It's easy enough to use with a few limited features.

JAY CUT
You must register to use the software. Easy program but has limited features. Free for personal use only. The site also offers other fee-based services for businesses.

MOVIE MASHER
You must download their user software. Easy but is a limited single-track editor.

PIXORIAL
You must join to use software and is another limited single-track editor.

FREE EDITING SOFTWARE
Many of the free downloadable editing software you'll find are time-limited or crippled demo/trial versions. If you look around you'll find editing software that is truly free. The ones below are either independent projects or can be found at the SourceForge web site. SourceForge offers a wide variety of computer software contributed from around the world. All software carries an Open Source license and are free to use. Many of the editors below don't offer much more than online editors do or even what you get with Windows for free, but there are a couple of gems on this list that may surprise you.

AVIDEMUX
A very simple editing program that's good for basic cuts and filtering. Supports many formats, and is available for several computer systems.

VIVIA- THE VIDEO EDITOR
Another Open Source editing software with only basic features, but is easy to use. Good enough for very simple edits.

FREE VIDEO DUB
Single-track editing software that's extremely simple but easy to use.

ZS4 VIDEO EDITOR (formerly Zwei-Stein)
The original version of Zwei-Stein has been around for some time. I tried an old version years ago but could never get the hang of it. This new revision appears to be much improved and very powerful. Polygon effects, chroma key, unlimited a/v tracks, multiple formats and it runs on a variety of computer systems. Certain tasks can get complicated. It'll take some time getting used to its work environment and procedures, but if you can get the hang of it, a lot can be done with ZS4.

LiVES
A comprehensive free program with many surprising advanced features including multiple video and audio tracks. Open Source with plenty of user-contributed add-ons to further enhance the software's capabilities. The timeline system is similar to other high-end editing software and seems easy to use. It does have its limitations, but is packed with enough features to please most aspiring editors.

Whatever editing software you choose just remember that sometimes creativeness is discovered by lacking the most desired tools. Editing actually is a simple process, even if you have thousand dollar software. In the end you are simply combining different media elements to create a finished product you hope others will enjoy. How you put a complete video project together is where you'll find your own personal creative expression, whatever software you're using. As always, good luck and have fun creating!